VIDEO: Should My Habits Be Kept or Broken?
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Ep.1106: Should My Habits Be Kept or Broken?
Breaking down the thinking needed to establish new habits
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CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: Galatians 1:13
Yup! It’s another New Year and that means another opportunity to start some things that are new, different and good for us! It also means we consider stopping (or at least reducing) those things in life that aren’t so good for us. It all sounds so easy, except for one little detail that can be expressed in one little word: habits. Breaking old and establishing new habits is one of the hardest challenges most individuals face. This is difficult because, by definition, making and breaking habits is making and breaking instinctive behavior. The first thing we need to do is to know what to change and why. While this is an important beginning, the next step is to know how to change, and that is where our work and focus actually begins.
Every habit begins with a thought
It can be a small thought, even a passing thought. What happens is, this thought – this impression finds some kind of appealing reaction within us. It can then begin to grow. The more we entertain it, the more likely it will take up residence in our minds. The tricky thing is that this process is not necessarily a fully conscious one. Our subconscious mind can be working on something, and once it is presented to our conscious thinking it has enough appeal to be pursued.
Thoughts are directly related to beliefs
Think of it this way – when a thought is developed fully enough in our minds it then has the authority to actually change existing beliefs. This is an important transition because all habits must have belief behind them. This may sound odd, especially when it comes to bad habits. Think about it, if we absolutely know a habit is bad then why can’t we change it overnight? It doesn’t change because it is an engrained belief that has tenacious staying power! Even if we see and acknowledge that the habit is bad for us in the long run, that does not change the belief in the gratification the habit provides in the short run.
The bottom line is: habits are not only difficult to make and break, they hold our destiny in their hands. Look at the most accomplished athletes, scientists, medical professionals or musicians, and you see a combination of talent, passion and discipline. These things make that person immensely successful because they are all put into service by habitual thinking and actions. In these cases, the results of this process can bring quality and excitement to the lives of many.
Check out our December 30, 2019 podcast, “Should My Habits be Kept or Broken?” We detail the thinking and behavior aspects of habit making and breaking. Much more than that, we reveal the four other characteristics that every habit affects in our lives. Habits are powerful drivers. They can actually dictate the level of success or failure we have in every aspect of life. Find out what you can do to raise your own levels of success by raising the levels of your habits!
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Ep.1105: What is the True Spirit of Christmas?
Five simple principles that bring Christ back to Christmas
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CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: John 3:16
When we talk about the “spirit” of something, we are trying to describe what that something was intended to look like or result in. Let’s take the spirit of a law. Whatever that law may be interpreted as meaning, or however it might be applied, needs to be checked against what the law was actually intended to allow. It is far too easy to have a personal agenda and take the words of that law, rationalizing them into fitting what we want them to mean. This is an unfortunate result of selfish thinking. The same is true with Christmas. The lights, the movies, the decorations, gifts, fanfare and food all tend to take away from the simplicity of the true spirit of Christmas. So, what is the true intention of the Christmas holiday, and how do we pay our highest respect to it?
Christmas is about Jesus, and it begins with giving. Even though it is the wrong time of year (a subject for another time), we see his birth as its center. Why does the Bible gives us so many details about how Jesus came into the world? Because it was a complex and glorious matter that needed to be understood. Jesus in his pre-human form was, by the power of God, to be reduced to an embryo. This took supernatural power and supernatural communication to those who would be involved, specifically Mary and Joseph. God’s plan in all of its miraculous complexity was accomplished through humble humans. These things reveal a major part of the true spirit of Christmas as being expressed by giving.
So much giving!
Think about all of the giving involved here. God’s plan was one that gave hope as He gave His son. Mary gave herself over to ridicule and doubt to acquiesce to the will of God and become the mother of Jesus. Joseph gave himself over to following angelic direction. This was was anything but natural and logical, marrying Mary and raising Jesus as his own son. Jesus reduced himself to the form of a human so he could eventually give that life and lift all of humanity out of sin. This is not the kind of giving we are used to at the Christmas season that entails fun and gifts, surprises and smiles. No, this is profound giving on every level. It is giving that is in place to bless and to obey. It is giving that provides life.
Giving and receiving are just the beginning of what the true spirit of Christmas is made of. There are many other qualities that especially shine at this season. Check out our December 23, 2019 podcast, “What is the True Spirit of Christmas?” for more. We look at several other powerful lessons from the experiences surrounding Jesus’ birth. People often say that Christmas is a magical time. We would like to suggest that its true meaning makes it much more of a transformative time. Don’t miss this opportunity to have that transformation go to work in your life!
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VIDEO: How Do I Know My Decisions Are Right?
To live is to make decisions. These decisions will directly influence how your life will unfold. Watch this short vlog then listen to the full podcast of the same name for more details.
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Ep.1104: How Do I Know My Decisions Are Right?
Revealing and applying the mechanics of great decision-making
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CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: Luke 14:28
To live is to decide. No matter who you are and what environment you live in, you will most likely be pressed with making an untold number of decisions. These will directly influence how your life will unfold. This can be a scary thought because no one wants to make decisions that are bad! Yet, most of us don’t seriously put in the time and effort to be sure the path we chose is good. How can this be? Much has to do with the way our minds work, social pressure and our desire for comfort. As Christians, we need to be keenly aware of these challenges, because our choices are supposed to always be in line with God’s will and Jesus’ footsteps. How must we think and what must we do in order to keep our decisions in line with all that would bring glory to God?
The human mind is very predictable when it comes to decision making. No matter who we are we, our minds have some degree of pre-programming built into the process. This is an instinctive efficiency measure. It cuts out the need to consciously process every little decision about every little thing. This can be both a very good thing and a very bad thing. It all comes down to what information our pre-programming is based upon. Is it based upon ethical and righteous thinking that seeks to do only that which is godly? If so, we are indeed positioned for sound decision making. Is it based upon previous experience, emotions and the influences of peer groups? If so, we are typical and unfortunately set up to begin our decision making on the wrong foot.
To have a better grasp on making the kind of decisions a true Christian should, we need to understand two things:
- We need to know how to identify what drives our default decision making process.
- We need to establish what principles we will always strive to abide by, as well as what influences we will seek to ignore.
There are several very revealing biblical accounts that help us to unravel all of this. King Solomon is a great place to start. He became the wisest man in all the earth and then descended into selfishness and idolatry. In some ways, his story is a paradox, as it seems that foolishness would naturally precede wisdom. Yet, Solomon’s experience was the opposite. Once we understand how and why he lost his grip on godliness and wisdom, our own decision making processes are easier to identify.
Check out our December 16, 2019 podcast, “How Do I Know My Decisions Are Right?” for more. We pull apart Solomon’s story along with experiences from Samuel the prophet. We add some wise counsel from James and Paul. To top things off, we look at some of Jesus’ teachings and uncover an unmistakable process for godly decision making. Life is too valuable to experience without access to the best decision making tools. Listen in and walk away better equipped!
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Ep.1103: Have We Become Too Desensitized to Sin?
Examining current moral standards in the light of biblical teaching
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CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: Isaiah 5:20
Right is right and wrong is wrong! A few generations ago, morality and ethics seemed simple: There were things you knew you should and should not do. There were principles you knew needed to be present when it came down to making appropriate decisions. There were societal consequences for stepping outside of those lines. Now morality seems to have gone rogue. The idea of ethics seems to have been redefined to fit personal preference. Now we say, “Right is right.” But we really mean is, “Right is what I feel is right for me. There isn’t much that's wrong, except when you try and infringe on my personal feeling of what’s right!” What happened? Does the whole concept of sin need to be re-evaluated?
In the Bible the word for sin simply defined means “to miss the mark.” The implication of this definition is plain. Anything less that hitting the precise target – anything less than perfection - is sin. When we look at this very black and white concept, it is nothing short of depressing. None of us are capable of such continued excellence, so we are all destined to wallow in imperfection. By God’s grace, we have the great gift of the sacrifice of Jesus which ultimately balances that equation. While this is a relief - an eternal relief - how do we in our everyday life keep the temptations of sin at bay?
Information is everywhere to help us
We live in a world where information is everywhere. We can use this information to help us be better armed against all that contributes to our being desensitized to sin. Unprecedented knowledge of the Bible, psychology and society enable us to be forewarned against the ever- growing number of ways this desensitization can happen. While this is good and encouraging news, the bad news looms even larger.
But the enemy is always one step ahead
Sin is an insidious enemy. In spite of all that we can and do know, this enemy has a way of keeping itself one step ahead. While we want to easily label the things of darkness as “dark,” society comes along and demands we change our perceptions. No longer is it easy (or even acceptable) to see life through the eyes of right and wrong. We are now required to see life through the prism of individuality. Each of us has somehow garnered the right to proclaim what we as single individuals will adhere to, regardless of any previously-valued standards. This continually moves the target, which in turn makes missing the mark not only more common, it now becomes more confusing as well.
How do we actually recognize sin and re-sensitize ourselves to it? Check out our December 9, 2019 podcast, “Have We Become Too Desensitized to Sin?” for answers. We trace the path societies have gone down that has them embrace darkness as light. We look at three simple steps that trap us on that dark path and how to avoid them. We also answer to difficult question as to whether Jesus accepts us as we are. Sin is your armed and ready enemy. Arm yourself to fight back!
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VIDEO: How Can Criticism Help Us Grow?
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Ep.1102: How Can Criticism Help Us Grow?
Character-revealing tools for handling constructive and deconstructive criticism with grace
If you do not have a password, please subscribe to our FREE Premium Content for the Full Edition version of CQ Rewind. The welcome message will contain your password, and a reminder will be sent each week when the CQ Rewind is available online for you to read, print, or download.
CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: Proverbs 15:32
We are going about our lives doing the best we can when suddenly we are receiving criticism for our talk, dress, actions or beliefs. Now what? Are we immediately defensive? Do we hurl back insults and accusations? Or do we cave internally, feeling really bad about ourselves and finding it hard to recover and move forward? Not wanting to change stops our growth process. Defensiveness might come from either pride or insecurity – both of which need to be recognized and managed. We know we can always get better, so how do we take the pain of a jarring critique NOT as a roadblock or defeat, but use it as a tool to build our Christian character?
The Criticizer
Let’s face it, there is power in criticism. If you are the criticizer, you wield a tool that can be used for building or demolition. It is you who decides what you are looking to accomplish, and your decision is boldly proclaimed in the delivery of your critique. Are you cutting, demeaning and sarcastic? If so, you are shamelessly focused on picking another apart. Are you tactful, truthful and kind? If so, you are gracefully focused on building another up. Unfortunately, most of us usually don’t stop to think before we criticize. We criticize as a reaction without thinking much at all. The end result of this kind of criticism is usually destructive.
The Criticized
We always envision the power of criticism as being held entirely in the words and delivery of the criticizer. Have you ever stopped to consider the great, even life-changing power the one being criticized holds? Think about this. When someone criticizes us, their power is that of an offer and really no more. They offer a battle or an insult or an observation or even a suggestion. Once the criticism is delivered, their power has ended. If I am receiving criticism, I now have all the power. I take that offer and decide how to handle it. I have the power of application and conclusion.
The bottom line is, we can choose to do something constructive with even the most harshly delivered criticism. Our first tool for handling it is sincerity. Do I really want to get better? Am I willing to look whatever legitimate truth might be hidden within someone’s vitriolic words and filter it out for consideration? Do I have the courage to accept that which is helpful and graciously discard the rest?
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Check out our December 2, 2019 podcast, “How Can Criticism Help us Grow?” for more. We looked at biblical examples of criticism received and ignored. We find examples of how NOT to dish back the kind of criticism we might be given. We talk about finding and standing on the solid and godly middle ground of response. Whether you are inclined to fold your arms and fight back, or to run hide and carry the wounds of receiving criticism with you, there are answers you need to hear!